Focal break-in period, myth?
Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Audio
Forum Discription: Car Stereos, Amplifiers, Crossovers, Processors, Speakers, Subwoofers, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=74345
Printed Date: April 29, 2024 at 12:16 AM
Topic: Focal break-in period, myth?
Posted By: boulderguy
Subject: Focal break-in period, myth?
Date Posted: March 12, 2006 at 12:56 PM
Just installed new Focal 6.5" K2P's in the lower doors of an 05 Subaru OB. I'm hearing what I think is resonance at a couple different freq's, mostly upper male vocals or alto horns. At those freq's the sound is saturated and overbearing, and it's just a little too "in-my-face." Kinda like a bell ringing or a sine wave.
I'm wondering if this is part of the Focal "break in" I've heard about or if I need to look at the install more closely. The former Quart 6.5's didn't do this.
Other specs -
Amp is Soundstream A-5.0, X'ed at 90hz
Cables are decent
Using MP3 source at 256k+, also factory CD player.
Doors are coveRED / sealed in & out with B-quiet.
Metra 1" plastic speaker spacers
Tweeter is flush-mounted low by mid
Thanks
Replies:
Posted By: KarTuneMan
Date Posted: March 12, 2006 at 1:26 PM
Yes....break'em in. Don't crank it for 15 to 20 hrs. People will have differing thoughts on this. Some WILL call it a myth. I have heard it myself with one of the lines I sell. Morel....the longer you play em the sweeter they sound. Its a very slight change....BUT noticable. Did you "deaden" the doors? Inner skin, and outer skin...makes a huge differance
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Posted By: boulderguy
Date Posted: March 12, 2006 at 1:45 PM
Yes, thoroughly dampened with B-Quiet, inner & outer. When you say don't crank it, what are the risks of me getting overexcited & impatient? Would this break-in account for the resonance? Also are there any gains to be had by rotating the tweeter given that it's not perfectly round? Right now the half-dome shapes on it are at top & bottom.
Posted By: stevdart
Date Posted: March 12, 2006 at 9:31 PM
There's some good information in the sticky subject " Breaking in subs"; maybe you didn't see it. You can use the same info for any woofer. ------------- Build the box so that it performs well in the worst case scenario and, in return, it will reward you at all times.
Posted By: boulderguy
Date Posted: March 12, 2006 at 9:43 PM
Thanks Stevdart, that answered some questions. What I'm looking for is specific info about the "ringing" I'm getting somewhere in vocals, if that's something I can expect to heal as the drivers break in or if I need to look at the install & gear for problems. Thoughts?
Posted By: stevdart
Date Posted: March 12, 2006 at 9:48 PM
If it were me, I'd do the procedure I descibed in that thread with these. Knowing that they'll sound better and more natural after break-in, I would want to eliminate that from the long list of possibilities first.
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Build the box so that it performs well in the worst case scenario and, in return, it will reward you at all times.
Posted By: customnate
Date Posted: March 14, 2006 at 11:07 PM
We carry focal and i install all the TIME!!! It is not a myth!! Not by any means!! The k2ps need a full day to break in, the EUTOPIAS need a week!!! Focal is a very delicate speaker! also the brightness is NOT going to chage adjust the corssovers, u take the case off there is a tab that u can move theres three open spaces play until u find what ya like!
any other questions feel free bro!
AIM is customnate1
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Sinceryly,
The Custom Nate
Posted By: boulderguy
Date Posted: March 14, 2006 at 11:15 PM
Great info, thanks. Xover's adjusted, doing fine at -7db. Resonance seems to have settled a bit, now have to find that rattle in the door panel. Tell me, you ever set these up as a coax? I have a friend who's reluctant to drill the door panel, I'm thinking we can pop the tweet out & attach to a piece of backstrap & stretch across the mid under the door panel. Thoughts?
Posted By: Ravendarat
Date Posted: March 15, 2006 at 12:41 AM
I have made brackets for tweeters before to suspend them across the face of the cone. As long as there is sufficent room for the cone to throw its, IMO, an acceptable way to install them. I have never noticed any real problems witht the sound. That being said I cant remeber doing it with any thing higher than a 300 dollar component so Im not sure if the higher end focals are more picky for tweet location.
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double-secret reverse-osmosis speaker-cone-induced high-level interference distortion, Its a killer
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